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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: charge · drill · fan · snap · safe · bound · hand · object

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. hand — help
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. object — to protest
  5. drill — army training
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. object — a thing
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bound — obliged
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. charge — electricity
  14. object — an aim
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — in control
  17. bound — certain
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bound — tied together
  20. drill — the tool
  21. hand — in cards
  22. snap — to click
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. drill — a practice

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com